7-Day High-Fibre Meal Plan for Insulin Resistance, Created by a Dietitian

From eatingwell.com

By Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD

Follow this plan for a week of high-fibre meals and snacks tailored to support healthy blood sugar levels 

ABOUT THIS PLAN

• This 7-day plan is set at 1,500 calories, with modifications for 2,000 calories.
• Each day provides at least 76 g of protein and 35 g of fibre to support stable blood sugars and a steady insulin response.
• This plan prioritizes high-fibre foods such as whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans and vegetables.

Nearly one in 10 Americans have diabetes and more than one in three have prediabetes. Prediabetes is defined as a blood sugar level that is high but not quite high enough to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prediabetes—Your chance to prevent type 2 diabetes.

With blood sugar disorders impacting so many Americans, it’s not surprising that many of us are turning our attention to insulin resistance and how to improve blood sugar levels. In this seven-day meal plan, we focus on fibre, which we named the No. 1 nutrient to lower blood sugar levels. This meal plan is meant to serve as a framework for a high-fibre healthy eating plan. It does not need to be followed exactly to reap the benefits—listen to your hunger cues and opt to make swaps as needed.

Meal Plan at a Glance
BREAKFAST/ A.M. SNACK	LUNCH/ P.M. SNACK	DINNER
Muffin omelettes, blackberries & kefir/ Pear	Bean & veggie salad/ Apple	Salmon power bowl
Yogurt, granola & fruit/ Edamame	Zoodles, bell peppers & hummus/ Pistachios	Pork, spinach & white beans
Yogurt, granola & fruit/ Pear	Zoodles, bell peppers & hummus/ Pistachios & blackberries	Sesame chicken salad
Muffin omelettes, blackberries & kefir/ Apple & nut butter	Zoodles, bell peppers & hummus/ Pistachios	Shrimp tostadas & slaw
Yogurt, granola & fruit/ Pear	Zoodles, bell peppers & hummus/ Apple & nut butter	Chicken chili
Yogurt, granola & fruit/ blackberries	Chicken chili/ Pear & hard-boiled egg	Sheet pan chickpeas and carrots & kale salad
Muffin omelettes, blackberries & kefir/ Apple	Chicken chili/ Pear & yogurt	Flank steak salad

Salmon Power Bowl.Crystal Hughes

Health Benefits of Fibre for Insulin Resistance

So, how do we promote healthy blood sugar levels and lower the risk of developing insulin resistance? Eating more fibre can help. Fibre is the unassuming workhorse of the nutrition world. Its health benefits are numerous—fibre is linked to improved heart health, better digestion and, of course, healthier blood sugar levels and a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Plus, eating more fibre can help promote weight loss, even when no other diet changes occur. Because fibre can independently improve insulin resistance plus support weight loss—which also can help improve insulin resistance—it’s a helpful nutrient to focus on if you’re trying to improve your blood sugar levels. 

Though both soluble and insoluble fibre have their benefits and should be included in a healthy eating plan, insoluble fibre seems to be particularly beneficial in promoting healthy blood sugar levels. In fact, research has concluded that a diet high in dietary fibre can reduce complications with type 2 diabetes. Sources of insoluble fibre include bran, whole wheat, barley, oats, nuts and the skin of many fruits and vegetables. 

How We Create Meal Plans

Registered dietitians thoughtfully create EatingWell’s meal plans to be easy-to-follow and delicious. Each meal plan meets specific parameters depending on the health condition and/or lifestyle goal it is targeting and is analysed for accuracy using the nutrition database, ESHA Food Processor. As nutritional needs differ from person to person, we encourage you to use these plans as inspiration and adjust as you see fit.

https://www.eatingwell.com/weeklong-fiber-meal-plan-insulin-resistance-12184328

The Best Time To Exercise for Better Blood Sugar, According to Research

From health.com

By Mark Gurarie

Mark Gurarie

Mark Gurarie is a writer covering health topics, technology, music, books, and culture. He also teaches health science and research writing at George Washington University's School of Medical and Health Sciences.

HEALTH's editorial guidelines

AT A GLANCE

• Why this matters: Some research suggests that working out at certain times may offer greater blood sugar benefits.
• What you can do: Aim to exercise in the evening or afternoon to more effectively lower blood sugar.
• The payoff: Regular physical activity can improve insulin sensitivity and support better blood sugar control over time.

Along with diet changes and medications, regular exercise helps manage blood sugar if you have diabetes. While movement at any time of day can help, some research suggests that working out later in the day may have the greatest impact.

Because of factors like meal timing and cortisol levels, evening exercise may be best for lowering blood sugar.  Halfpoint Images / Getty Images

Why Evening Exercise May Be Best for Blood Sugar

Getting in a workout at any time is good for your health. But the best time to exercise for blood sugar management seems to be later in the day.

In a recent review of studies, experts concluded that afternoon or evening exercise may lead to greater blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes. Late-in-the-day exercise was also associated with improvements in insulin sensitivity, or the body’s ability to respond to insulin and manage sugar in the bloodstream. Morning exercise did not appear to be as effective.

Similarly, a 2019 study followed men with type 2 diabetes who took part in high-intensity interval training (HIIT) for two weeks. Those who did HIIT in the afternoons had improved blood sugar levels, while morning exercisers saw the opposite effect.

Researchers emphasize that more long-term research is needed. However, there are a couple of theories as to why evening exercise may be better for blood sugar:

• Cortisol: Your cortisol (a stress hormone) naturally spikes in the morning. This triggers the body to release stored sugars, raising blood sugar for people with diabetes. Exercising in the morning can raise cortisol even more, which could explain why it may not be as effective at lowering blood sugar.
• Meal timing: Research shows that workouts done after you eat are better at limiting blood sugar spikes. People who work out first thing in the morning likely aren’t doing so after a meal, so they may not reap those benefits.

How Exercise Affects Blood Sugar

Though afternoon or evening exercise may have a more substantial effect on blood sugar, physical activity of any kind can help you manage blood sugar spikes in both the short and long term.

Short-term Effects

During your workout and immediately after, you could experience both positive or negative changes to your blood sugar:

• Pros: As your muscles contract during exercise, they burn sugar directly for energy. Physical activity also improves short-term insulin sensitivity, which means your body is able to better use insulin to move sugar out of the bloodstream. In fact, a workout session can lower your blood sugar for up to 24 hours after.
• Cons: Certain types of exercise—specifically, adrenaline-producing workouts like heavy weightlifting or sprints—can cause short-term blood sugar increases. For example, an older 2013 study found that HIIT workouts increased blood sugar for about an hour after exercise. Still, the exercise had an overall beneficial effect lasting up to 24 hours.

Long-term Effects

Regular exercise is especially helpful for blood sugar management over time. Long-term effects include:

• Better insulin sensitivity: Regular exercise improves how well your cells respond to insulin, which helps manage blood sugar levels.
• Lower haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels: Consistent activity reduces HbA1c, which is a measure of average blood sugar levels over a two to three-month period.
• Greater muscle mass: Muscles take up most of the sugar in your bloodstream after a meal. Because of this, some research suggests that building muscle mass and strength may help lower blood sugar levels over time.
• Possible weight loss: Regular exercise can help you lose weight, which can make it easier to manage your blood sugar levels.

https://www.health.com/best-time-to-exercise-to-lower-blood-sugar-12184103 

Early Type 2 Diabetes Is No Longer a Lifetime Sentence for Many Young Adults

From Men's Fitness

By Lakshan Weeraratne

Key Points

• A randomized trial found 54% of younger adults achieved type 2 diabetes remission after six months.
• Participants followed medically supervised calorie restriction, exercise, medication adjustments, and ongoing professional support.
• Remission is not a cure; long-term durability remains unknown, and intensive diets require clinical supervision.
• 
  

Type 2 diabetes diagnosed in your 20s, 30s, or early 40s can feel like a lifetime sentence. A new randomized trial suggests that, for some younger adults, the disease can be pushed below the diagnostic threshold without glucose-lowering medication in six months.

In the RESET for Remission trial, 27 of 50 people assigned to an intensive diet-and-exercise program reached type 2 diabetes remission after 24 weeks. That is 54 percent.

In the usual-care group, only two of 46 people, or 4 percent, did.

That 50-percentage-point difference deserves attention. It also comes with a large asterisk: this was not a normal calorie deficit plus a few workouts.

It was a medically managed 800-to-900-calorie diet, meal replacements, medication changes, supervised aerobic and resistance training, and regular professional support. The participants were also a carefully selected group.

What Did the Diabetes Remission Study Find?

Researchers at three centres in England and Canada randomly assigned 96 adults to either usual diabetes care or the combined lifestyle program.

Participants were 18 to 45 years old, had obesity, had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes within the previous six years, and were not using insulin. Their average age was 38, and their average body mass index was 35.2.

The trial included 51 men and 45 women and a multi-ethnic group of participants.

The study was open-label, so participants knew which program they were following, but the primary outcome was assessed blind to group assignment.

Eighty-six people, or 90 percent of the sample, attended the final assessment. For the main analysis, anyone with missing outcome data was counted as not being in remission—a conservative approach that makes the 54 percent result harder, not easier, to produce.

At week 24:

• 27 of 50 people in the intervention group were in remission: 54 percent.

• Two of 46 people receiving usual care were in remission: 4 percent.

• The adjusted odds of remission were 21.6 times higher with the intervention.

The intervention group also lost an average of 8.4 kilograms, or about 18.5 pounds, compared with 1.2 kilograms, or 2.6 pounds, in the usual-care group.

After statistical adjustment, the between-group difference was 7.5 kilograms, including about 6.6 kilograms—14.6 pounds—of additional fat loss.

The researchers reported that fat-free mass was preserved while strength and cardiorespiratory fitness improved.

That part matters. Rapid weight loss can take muscle with it, and losing muscle is a poor trade for anyone trying to improve long-term metabolic health.

What Did the 24-Week Program Involve?

The result came from a two-stage clinical intervention, not a downloadable diet.

For the first 12 weeks, participants followed an 800-to-900-calorie-per-day plan. The first two weeks used total meal replacement. From weeks three through 12, participants continued the low-energy target while adding one food-based meal containing protein, fruit, and non-starchy vegetables.

The exercise component combined cardio and lifting.

According to the published trial protocol, participants completed two supervised sessions each week with aerobic and resistance work, plus one independent aerobic session.

Training progressed toward roughly 60-minute sessions. The resistance plan covered the upper and lower body, generally using one to three sets of eight to 12 repetitions. Aerobic work was prescribed from fitness-test results rather than a generic pace.

For weeks 13 through 24, food was reintroduced into an individualized weight-maintenance plan, and exercise shifted toward independent training. Participants aimed for at least 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity per week and continued to receive check-ins and support.

There was another detail that cannot be separated from the result: clinicians stopped or adjusted glucose- and blood-pressure-lowering medication when appropriate, monitored participants, and restarted treatment if prespecified thresholds were reached.

That is medical management, not motivation.

What Does Type 2 Diabetes Remission Mean?

In this trial, remission meant an HbA1c below 6.5 percent—the diagnostic threshold for diabetes—after at least 12 weeks without glucose-lowering medication.

That matches the definition proposed in an international consensus report convened by the American Diabetes Association.

HbA1c reflects average blood glucose over roughly the previous two to three months. Getting it below 6.5 percent without glucose-lowering drugs is clinically meaningful.

It is not the same as erasing the condition.

Remission can end. Blood glucose may rise again, particularly if weight is regained or the underlying disease progresses. That is why experts use remission, not cure, and why people in remission still need ongoing glucose checks and screening for diabetes-related complications.

This trial tells us who met the remission definition at six months. It does not tell us how many will remain there one year, five years, or 10 years later.

Was the Program Safe?

No serious adverse events were reported, but the intervention was not free of side effects.

Forty-three of the 50 intervention participants reported at least one adverse event, compared with six of 46 people in the usual-care group.

The most common problems were early effects of the low-energy diet, including constipation, headache, dizziness, and fatigue. Researchers reported that these generally resolved.

Both sides of that finding matter. The trial did not uncover a serious safety signal during 24 weeks, but 86 percent of the intervention group experienced some kind of adverse event.

That is another reason the calorie target should not be copied at home.

The NHS specifically warns people with type 2 diabetes not to begin a very strict low-calorie diet without speaking to a health professional.

Eating far less while continuing certain diabetes or blood-pressure medications can cause glucose or blood pressure to fall too low. Nobody should stop medication to chase remission without the clinician who prescribed it.

What the Study Cannot Prove

The trial is promising, but it is narrow by design.

First, it involved only 96 people and lasted 24 weeks. The size of the effect is impressive; its durability remains unknown.

Second, the findings apply most directly to adults ages 18 to 45 who had obesity, were within six years of diagnosis, and did not use insulin.

They do not establish the same remission rate for older adults, people who have lived with diabetes for decades, people without obesity, or people using insulin. They do not apply to type 1 diabetes.

Third, the study compared the full diet-and-exercise package with usual care. It did not include a low-energy-diet-only group.

That means it cannot tell us how much of the remission came from calorie restriction and weight loss, how much came from exercise, or whether the two produced a unique combined effect.

The resistance training may help explain the preservation of muscle, but this trial was not designed to isolate it.

Finally, the level of support matters. Dietitians, physicians, exercise professionals, meal replacements, supervised sessions, monitoring, and medication management were part of the intervention.

Results from that system cannot be assumed for an unsupervised 800-calorie challenge.

What Should You Do With This Information?

If you have type 2 diabetes and want to pursue remission, the useful question is not, "Can I eat 800 calories tomorrow?"

It is, "Am I a candidate for a structured remission program, and who will manage it?"

Ask your doctor or diabetes-care team about:

• Whether remission is a realistic goal given your diabetes duration, medications, and overall health

• A medically supervised total-diet-replacement or intensive weight-management program available in your area

• How medication and blood glucose would be monitored during a major calorie reduction

• How resistance training can be included to help protect strength and muscle during weight loss

• What the long-term weight-maintenance and follow-up plan would be after the intensive phase

The headline result is real: 54 percent reached remission, compared with 4 percent receiving usual care.

The deeper lesson is not that an extreme diet cures diabetes. It is that an intensive, professionally managed program can change the course of early type 2 diabetes for some younger adults—and that the structure around the diet may be as important as the calorie number people will remember.

The RESET for Remission trial was funded by the UK Medical Research Council, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and the John R. McConnell Foundation. This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. An 800-to-900-calorie diet and any changes to diabetes or blood-pressure medication require qualified medical supervision.

https://www.mensfitness.com/news/early-type-2-diabetes-remission-trial